Snowplow and mount assembly for use with a wheelchair

ABSTRACT

A snowplow and mounting assembly having a mounting frame for use with a wheelchair wherein the mounting frame has one side with a V-shape or other shape snowplow facing away from the wheelchair and has another side that faces the wheelchair and is adapted to cooperate with the wheelchair in use to plow snow. A particular snowplow and mounting assembly has a mounting frame for releasable connection to a wheelchair; a snowplow blade disposed on one side of the frame; first and second pivotal linkages disposed on the other side of the frame for releasably engaging first and second wheels of a wheelchair; and at least one handle disposed on the frame adapted to be operated by user of the wheelchair. Snowplow and mounting assembly can easily be connected and disconnected by the wheelchair user.

This application claims priority and benefits of provisional application Ser. No. 61/067,439 filed Feb. 28, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to wheelchair attachments and snow removal equipment and, more particularly, to a snowplow and mount assembly for removably securing and use of a snowplow with a wheelchair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Every winter people are left trapped in their homes due to heavy snowfall because they are confined to a wheelchair and do not have friends or family available to shovel their driveways, walkways, and doorways. Especially in the northern parts of the United States, people are forced to remain in their homes for three months (or more) of every year. It is desirable to provide a solution to allow those bound to a wheelchair to easily and independently remove snow from around their homes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a snowplow and mounting assembly having a mounting frame for use with a wheelchair wherein the mounting frame has one side with a snowplow facing away from the wheelchair and has another side that faces the wheelchair and is adapted to cooperate with the wheelchair in use to plow snow. An illustrative embodiment of the invention provides a snowplow and mounting assembly that comprises a mounting frame for releasable connection to a wheelchair; a snowplow blade disposed on one side of the frame; first and second pivotal linkages disposed on the other side of the frame for releasably engaging first and second wheels of a wheelchair; and at least one handle disposed on the frame adapted to be operated by user of the wheelchair.

In another embodiment, the invention comprises a snowplow and mount assembly comprising a mounting frame adapted to be releasably connected to a wheelchair, wherein the mounting frame comprises a front side on which a snowplow blade is disposed and a back side which faces toward and is adjacent to the wheelchair. The mounting frame and snowplow blade can be constructed from metal, plastic, wood or any other material of sufficient strength for plowing snow. The mounting frame includes first and second pivotal linkages disposed on its back side proximate outer peripheral side regions thereof. Further, the mounting frame can include at least one handle attached to the frame which would allow the user to lift the snowplow.

The first and second pivotal linkages include respective pivotal linkage arms that can be connected by the user to the first (left) and second (right) wheels of a wheelchair to releasably secure the snowplow onto a wheelchair while it is in use. To keep the linkage arms in place during use, a locking element can be connected between the pivotal linkages and the mounting frame. The first and second linkage arms are disposed on respective pivot shafts, which are connected to a pivot support, such as a bracket. The pivot support can be connected to the back side of the mounting frame by welding, mechanical fasteners, and the like. Further, the first and second pivotal linkage arms can include a respective pivot-shaft receiving member, which is disposed on and can pivot or rotate on the respective pivot shaft. The pivot motion allows the linkage arms to be releasably engaged to first and second wheels of a wheelchair. The pivotal linkages can comprise a hinge, pivot joint or other pivot mechanism.

The handle can be connected to the mounting frame and can be constructed from metal, plastic, or other material. Because the snowplow and mounting assembly is releasably connected to the wheels of a wheelchair, it allows the user to easily lift and pivot the snowplow up and down during use about region of linkage arm/wheel engagement.

Finally, the snowplow and mounting assembly can include a bottom edge that is disposed on and forms part of the mounting frame and extends past the front side of the frame. The bottom edge can be at the bottom of the front side of the frame and can extend beyond the front side to include sharpened blades, which can allow the snowplow to cut under the snow for easier removal of snow. Also, when there is no snow, the sharpened blades can be used to slice through weeds or grass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the snowplow and mounting assembly.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of an embodiment of the snowplow and mounting assembly.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a linkage and respective locking element.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a linkage engaged into the spoke of a wheel of a wheelchair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a snowplow and mounting assembly having a mounting frame including one side with a V-shape or other shape snowplow thereon facing away from the wheelchair and including another side that faces the wheelchair and is adapted to cooperate with the wheelchair in use to plow snow. The snowplow and mounting assembly can cooperate with the wheelchair by being releasably engaged thereto and/or moved thereby. Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the snowplow and mounting assembly 10. An illustrative embodiment of the snowplow and mounting assembly comprises a mounting frame 12 for releasable connection to a wheelchair. A snowplow blade 11 is disposed on the front side of the mounting frame 12. First and second pivotal linkages 15,16 are disposed on the back or rear side of the frame for releasably engaging and connecting to respective first and second wheels W of a wheelchair. At least one handle 18 is disposed on the frame and is adapted to be operated by user of the wheelchair.

Mounting frame 12 includes a frame member having a front upstanding side 13 and a back upstanding side 14 which make up the surface of a V-shaped snowplow and mount assembly 10. Mounting frame 12 typically is constructed from one or more metal, plastic, wood or any other sheet or plate materials of sufficient strength for plowing snow and can include one or more reinforcing corrugations (e.g. corrugation C) to this end. The front side 13 of the mounting frame can include snowplow blade 11 and bottom plate edge 20 also can be provided for snow removal. Mounting frame 12 also can be reinforced by attaching crossbars 17 diagonally across the back side 14. Crossbars 17 can be attached by welding, bolting, or other means (e.g. welds WE) to at or near handle 18, and at or near bracket 25 and to the bottom plate edge 20 adjacent the back side of the mounting frame. Handle 18 is attached at its lower end by welding or fasteners to the bottom edge plates 20, completing the reinforced mounting frame. The back side 14 of the mounting frame 12 can include first and second pivotal linkages 15, 16 for releasably securing snowplow and mounting assembly 10 to a wheelchair.

Snowplow blade 11 can be disposed on the front side 13 of the mounting frame 12. Snowplow blade 11 can be constructed of metal, plastic, wood, or any other material of suitable strength for plowing snow. Further, the one or more bottom plate edges 20 can extend beyond the front side of the mounting frame 12. Each bottom plate edge 20 can be disposed on the bottom of the snowplow and mount assembly and can extend past the front of the mounting frame 12 where they each include a sharpened blade 21. When the wheelchair and snowplow are in use, bottom edges 20 and sharpened blades 21 can cut under snow and allow for easier removal of snow. And in times when there is no snow, the blades can be used for cutting weeds or grass.

First and second pivotal linkages 15, 16, can be disposed on the back side 14 of the mounting frame 12. First and second linkages 15, 16 can be constructed from metal, plastic, or other means and attachment to mounting frame 12 can be achieved by weld, bolt, or other means. Each linkage can include a linkage arm 22, a fixed pivot shaft 23, a pivot-shaft receiving member 24, and a bracket assembly 25 fastened to the back side of the frame by fasteners F. Though a linkage and its respective elements are described below in the singular, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that such description is true for both first and second pivotal linkages 15, 16. Bracket assembly 25 is employed to attach a linkage to the back side 14 of the mounting frame 12. Fixed pivot shaft 23 is attached to bracket assembly 25 and can comprise a threaded bolt, for example, having a base region 23 a welded on the bracket assembly so that the pivot shaft 23 (e.g. threaded bolt) is upright and spaced from the bracket assembly to provide a space therebetween that allows the pivot-shaft receiving member 24 (e.g. threaded nut) to rotate thereon. Linkage arm 22 is attached (e.g. welded) to the corresponding pivot-shaft receiving member 24 (e.g. threaded nut), which is disposed on and can pivot or rotate on a respective pivot shaft 23 by rotation on threads. Further, linkage arm 22 can be constructed from metal, plastic, or other material of suitable strength and can be formed such that the bottom end curves allowing it to lock into the spokes of first (left) and second (right) wheels of a wheelchair. The top end of linkage arm 22 can have a notch (shown), hole, etc., which can allow a locking element 26 to connect to the linkage arm. Locking element 26 can be disposed on the back side of the mounting assembly and can include a spring, or other biasing means. One end of locking element 26 can be connected by fastener 40 to the back side 14 of the mounting frame 12 and the other end can be connected to linkage arm 22. When the locking element is engaged, it keeps the linkage arm from disconnecting from the wheel of a wheelchair by biasing the linkage arm in the direction of arrow A. First and second linkages 15, 16, can be easily connected and disconnected to first and second wheels by the user while sitting in a wheelchair. The user need only drive up to the snowplow and pivot linkages 15 and 16 into the spokes of first and second wheels of a wheelchair. The connecting wheels can be the front wheels, commonly known as the tip tires.

At least one handle 18 can be disposed on the back side of the snowplow and mount assembly 10 and attached (for example, welded) to the back side 14 of the mounting frame 12. Handle 18 can be constructed of metal, plastic, or other material, can include a rubber hand grip, and can be attached by weld, bolt, or other means. When the snowplow and mount assembly 10 is properly engaged and connected to a wheelchair the handle 18 can allow the user to lift and pivot the snowplow to avoid rocks and other obstacles. User can grip handle 18 and pull towards them to raise, or push away from them to lower, the snowplow.

Snowplow and mount assembly 10 can form an enclosure around the user thereby directing snow away from the user. This directing of snow can be achieved by constructing the snowplow and mount assembly 10 to be slightly wider than the wheelchair itself. Common wheelchairs range in overall width from about 20″ to about 27″, thus snowplow and mount assembly 10 can range from about 21″ to about 30″, for purposes of illustration and not limitation. Similarly, wheelchair drive wheels range from about 10″ to about 16″ in diameter, thus the snowplow and mount assembly 10 can range from about 13″ to about 20″ in height, for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the present invention which will result in an improved snowplow and mount assembly, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A snowplow and mounting assembly comprising: a mounting frame having one side with a snowplow and having another side adapted to cooperate with the wheelchair in use to plow snow.
 2. A snowplow and mounting assembly comprising: a mounting frame for releasable connection to a wheelchair; a snowplow blade disposed on one side of the frame; first and second pivotal linkages disposed on the other side of the frame for releasably engaging first and second wheels of a wheelchair;
 3. The mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the mounting frame includes at least one handle disposed on the frame adapted to be operated by the wheelchair user.
 4. The mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and second linkages comprise respective first and second pivotal linkage arms which releasably engage respective first and second wheels of a wheelchair.
 5. The mounting assembly of claim 4, wherein said first and second pivotal linkage arms are disposed on a respective first and second pivot shaft.
 6. The mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein each pivot shaft is disposed on the back side of the mounting frame.
 7. The mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein each linkage arm has a pivot-shaft receiving member.
 8. The mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein each pivot shaft comprises a threaded shaft.
 9. The mounting assembly of claim 4, wherein said first and second pivotal linkage arms releasably connect to front first and second wheels of a wheelchair.
 10. The mounting assembly of claim 4, wherein said first and second pivotal linkage arms are connected by a respective locking element to the other side of the mounting frame.
 11. The mounting assembly of claim 10, wherein said locking element includes a spring and prevents the linkage arm from disengaging from the wheel.
 12. The mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the mounting frame comprises a bottom edge on the bottom of the front side of the mounting frame and extends past the front side of the mounting frame.
 13. The mounting assembly of claim 12, wherein said bottom edge includes sharpened blades which ease in the removal of snow.
 14. A combination of a wheelchair and mounting assembly comprising: a mounting frame for releasable connection to a wheelchair; a snowplow blade disposed on one side of the mounting frame; first and second pivotal linkages disposed on the other side of the frame for releasably engaging first and second wheels of a wheelchair;
 15. The combination of claim 14, wherein the mounting frame includes at least one handle disposed on the frame adapted to be operated by the wheelchair user. 